KANYE West blasted Taylor Swift as a “fake ass” and called NBC staffers “white motherf***ers” during his epic meltdown backstage at Saturday Night Live.

In an audio clip exclusively obtained by Page Six, Kanye can be heard repeatedly yelling at SNL production staff, “Don’t f**k with me,” before branding Swift — who he claims on his new album he made famous — a “fake ass”.

Then the hot-headed rapper went on to proclaim that he is “50 per cent more influential” than legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, Pablo Picasso, Paul the Apostle — who was hand-picked by Christ to deliver the gospel — and even the notorious drug runner Pablo Escobar.

Kanye can be heard ranting, “Are they f**king crazy? Whoa by 50 per cent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Picasso, Apostle Paul, f**king Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Don’t f**k with me. Don’t f**k with me. Don’t f**k with me. By 50 per cent dead or alive, by 50 per cent for the next 1000 years. Stanley Kubrick, ‘Ye.”

The rapper went on a bizarre tirade just minutes before last Saturday’s live show hosted by Melissa McCarthy. Page Six understands Kanye was upset that staffers ripped up some shiny flooring from his set because it was reflecting the stage lights, creating a confusing effect with the video wall behind him.

Sources told Page Six that SNL boss Lorne Michaels had to reason with the Runaway rapper to keep him from bolting from the show. Finally the rapper deigned to stay and perform.

A source told us, “it was like he was having an emotional breakdown. He was calling the crew ‘white motherf***ers’ and then said he was going to walk out. The only thing that stopped him from actually leaving right then was that nobody had access to the freight elevator. If he’d walked out on the live show, it would have been a disaster. And the whole meltdown was just because of the floor. ” (Kanye cannot be heard calling the crew “white motherf***ers” on the audio clip.)

Kanye last week wearing some of his new official merchandise — with a picture of his late mother on the front. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

A source close to Kanye told Page Six, “Right before he was about to go on live television they took his stage apart. Like any artist, he’s a perfectionist, and wanted his performance to be right. Of course he was upset.”

It’s been a busy week for Kanye, who has been letting rip on Twitter, and publicly battling with Swift after his track from his new album about having sex with Swift, plus his claim that he “made the bitch famous”, infuriated the 26-year-old pop superstar.

She hit back at the Grammys by saying, “There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame … But if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you … you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there.”

A rep for Kanye denied that he called the crew “white motherf**ers,” but declined to comment further on the audio.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and is republished with permission.